As we embark on week two of indulgent vs healthy recipes, it’s appropriate that this week I am featuring desserts. Most of the time when I think of dessert it is something of a splurge. Perhaps it’s a piece of carrot cake with a thick layer of cream cheese frosting. Maybe it’s a waffle cone filled with strawberry cheesecake ice cream covered in rainbow sprinkles. Possibly it’s a batch of fresh from the oven white chocolate macadamia nut cookies. Yes, I am making myself hungry as I type this.

However, desserts such as this aren’t meant to be eaten all that often, but that doesn’t mean that your cravings (or mine) understand that. So, what I do is play with recipes to create healthier versions of desserts. Savory dishes aren’t the only ones that are allowed to be slimmed down.

I’ve found several ways to soothe the cravings and keep the dessert healthy. First, I like using fruit. Sometimes just cutting up strawberries and sprinkling them with sugar is enough to do the trick. If you have more time, making a batch of Frozen Chocolate Banana Treats will be a good replacement for ice cream. Second, utilize Greek yogurt to your advantage. Whether you serve it as is or frozen, it’s much healthier than ice cream or gelato. Third, try a beverage. A cup of coffee with a little almond extract, a pinch of sugar, and a small dollop of whipped cream feels way more indulgent than it actually is.

Sure, it’s good to give into your cravings some of the time. Trust me, I believe in that. You’ll see that on Wednesday when I share my newest bread pudding recipe- insanely indulgent but also incredibly amazing. It’s worth every calorie.

But when you need to keep the calories in check, give one of the ideas above a try. To keep you on the healthy track, I have one other healthy dessert recipe from the archives that I adore: Banana Frozen Yogurt. Not only is it healthier than eating a typical dessert, it actually has a good amount of dairy, protein, and fruit in it. Maybe you could even have it for breakfast.